Dental practitioners use ultrasonic dental tools (instruments) for dental treatments and procedures, such as scaling, periodontal treatments, root canal therapy, and the like.
An ultrasonic dental tool typically includes a handpiece coupled at one end (i.e., a proximal end) to an electrical energy source and a fluid source via a cable. The cable includes a hose to provide a fluid (e.g., water), and conductors to provide electrical energy. The other end (i.e., a distal end) of the handpiece has an opening intended to receive a replaceable insert with a transducer (e.g., a magnetostrictive transducer) carried on the insert. The transducer extends from a proximal end of the insert into a hollow interior of the handpiece. An ultrasonically vibrated tip extends from a distal end of the insert.
When using a typical ultrasonic insert during a cleaning procedure, the dental practitioner will need to repeatedly re-orient the location of the insert tip with respect to tooth surface. In making this re-orientation, the practitioner will typically take the insert out of the patient's mouth, rotate the insert inside the handpiece to re-orient the tip and re-insert the insert in the patient's mouth. This is done because the handpiece is tethered to a power and fluid supply source, so that rotation of the handpiece is limited.
Both hands are typically used for this rotation as the frictional forces that produce a tight fit of the insert in the handpiece needs to be overcome. During a typical treatment process, an insert is reoriented numerous times. This is not only time consuming but also interrupts the ease and smooth flow of work.